Mary Helen Leonard, author of The Natural Beauty Solution and professionally trained culinary instructor, shares recipes, projects, tips, and stories about living a more natural, handmade, and creative life with her family in Austin, Texas.

Sweets n' Grits with Garlic Collard Greens Recipe

So have you all heard about the new grocery store that opened up on Manor Road in Austin? Even if you don't live nearby, you might find it very interesting. In.gredients is the U.S.A.'s first (so far as I know) zero-packaging grocery store. This hip little spot is more like a corner shop than an all-out mega grocery. You won't find sixty flavors of salad dressing here, but you will find a variety of fresh local produce, carefully selected dry goods, and craft kombucha on tap. Though the space is itty-bitty, the business model represents a huge shift in our relationship with food, waste, and consumerism.

What I like so much about the idea of a zero-packaging grocery store is that it's one of those concepts that is so brilliantly simple, it feels like common sense. Since the creation of In.gredients, I often find myself asking why there isn't an option to tare your own container at every grocery store? I mean really, what is the point of wrapping up everything we eat into crappy little containers just so we can turn around and take them out again? It seems to me that the whole grocery world has got it backward, while In.gredients has got it straight.

Plus? Non-GMO canola oil. NON-GMO CANOLA OIL! That's frigging fantastic. I'm bringing in a gallon jug the next time I visit. The thing is, I'm all for organic, cold pressed, virgin, etc. I am. I totally get why they are worth the extra money. You can't put a price on your health, right? Or your ethics. I'm anti-GMO, so I'll damn the man every chance I get. But when I want deep fry something, I can't help calculating the price per french fry... and cry a little. Non-GMO canola oil at a reasonable price per ounce will really take the edge off that whole situation. Thanks, guys.

When In.gredients put out the call for guest bloggers I was happy to oblige. I stopped in earlier this week to do a little shopping, and come up with a nice, hearty recipe to share. Chelsea, the resident blogger at In.gredients, suggested that I feature collard greens. I don't cook collards a lot, mainly because greens tend to make the hus-beast bitch and moan, but I thought, "Hey, the hell with him", and went for it anyway. Since I was making collards, and they are very Southern, I decided to take this opportunity to work on a vegan version of a Southern dish that I am utterly obsessed with: Shrimp n' Grits.

You might be wondering how on Earth this recipe is anything like Shrimp n' Grits, considering that it lacks two of what are arguably the most important components, namely shrimp and bacon. Well, for starters, the thing we love so much about shrimp in this dish is its sweetness and its snappy texture. Sweet potatoes are, of course, sweet, and when cooked just the right way, can also be a little snappy. Nothing can really fill the hole that bacon leaves behind, but the presence of smoky and salty flavors can certainly try. Using poultry seasonings, like sage and thyme in the grits also helps to give the dish a really meaty aroma. Put that all together with the natural creaminess of corn, and you'll have a vegan dinner that can please even the most carnivorous hus-beast.

Sweets n' GritsMakes about three servings

Ingredients

For the grits

3/4 cup raw cashews

1 cup water

1 tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 tablespoon vegan margarine (or an additional 1 tbsp. oil)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon onion salt\

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 pinch marjoram

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup grits

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chives

2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes, minced

2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced

For the sweet potatoes

1 medium to large sweet potato, peeled and cut into small wedges

1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon cooking oil

Directions

Soak the cashews in the water for at least two hours, or overnight. Put the cashews, water, and tahini into a food processor or blender and process until very smooth. This should take at least one full minute of blending. Set aside.

Heat the oil and margarine in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and spices to the pan and stir together. Saute the garlic and spices for about two minutes.

Add the vegetable stock and pureed cashew mixture and mix well. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then stir in the grits.

Reduce the heat to low, and let the grits simmer until they thicken and soften up. Stir the grits often as they cook. When they reach a consistency similar to mashed potatoes removed them from the heat and taste. Add salt and pepper if needed.

Meanwhile, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil and spices. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Place the sweet potato wedges into the pan and cook them until they are golden brown on the bottom. Flip them over and cook until they reach the same color on that side. They should be slightly tender on the inside. If they are browning too quickly, turn the heat down a little bit.

Garnish the grits with chives, sun dried tomato and fresh tomato before topping them with the cooked sweet potatoes.

Oh, and you probably thought that I forgot all about the collards. Hell no! These big green buggers were just begging to be smacked down into something tender and delicious. The thing with big bad greens, like collards, kale, or chard, is that they tend to have a super tough texture. If I were on a bacon kick, I would fry them up in some grease, sprinkle them with salt, and call it a day. Taking a healthier approach to collards requires a little more effort, but I promise, they will still be good.

A lot of people are scared of cooking with greens, but I think that's kind of silly. Is a lion afraid of the gazelle? I doubt it. She just takes that beasty and throttles it into submission. Think of greens the same way. You're going to EAT them. If anything, they should be scared of you.

Garlic Collard GreensMakes about three servings

Ingredients

1 bunch collard greens

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 -2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 lime

Directions

Cut the spine out of each collard green leaf and discard it. Cut the leaves into 1 inch wide strips, then cut the strips in thirds. This should give you 1 inch by 3 inch rectangles of greens.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. If you can, just use the pan that was used to prepare the sweet potatoes. When the pan is hot, add the oil and garlic.

Saute the garlic for about thirty seconds before adding your first handful of greens to the pan. Let those greens wilt a little bit, tossing them continuously with a pair of tongs.

After the first handful gets shiny and a little bit shrunken up, add a second handful. Keep cooking the greens and adding more as they shrink.

After all the greens are in the pan, sprinkle a pinch of salt over everything and add the red pepper. Keep tossing the greens until they become shiny and tender. This should take about 3 - 5 more minutes. Just before serving, squirt the lime juice into the pan and toss it with the greens.

Serve the greens on the side, or tucked in on the side of the plate where you serve the sweet potatoes and grits.